U.S. patent application number 13/582709 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-07 for substrate transport carrier.
This patent application is currently assigned to ENTEGRIS, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is John Burns, Jeffery J. King. Invention is credited to John Burns, Jeffery J. King.
Application Number | 20130056485 13/582709 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44542826 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130056485 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Burns; John ; et
al. |
March 7, 2013 |
SUBSTRATE TRANSPORT CARRIER
Abstract
A transport container for substrates such as semiconductor
wafers and solar cell substrates includes a cover and a base having
a plurality of side walls including movable wall portions with
vertically extending hinges or hinges that provide a pivot about a
vertical axis. The hinges can be resilient movable polymer portions
such as living hinges and can have an unconnected upper edge and an
unconnected lower edge to allow the movable wall portions to move
inwardly relative to a floor of the base. The cover can include a
base engagement portion configured as a cam portion that engages a
cover engagement portion on the movable wall portions as the cover
is inserted onto the base. As the cam portions of the cover engage
the cover engagement portions, the cam portions move the wall
inwardly relative to the base to align the substrates.
Inventors: |
Burns; John; (Colorado
Springs, CO) ; King; Jeffery J.; (Colorado Springs,
CO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Burns; John
King; Jeffery J. |
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs |
CO
CO |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
ENTEGRIS, INC.
Billerica
MA
|
Family ID: |
44542826 |
Appl. No.: |
13/582709 |
Filed: |
March 2, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
March 2, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2011/026892 |
371 Date: |
November 14, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61309747 |
Mar 2, 2010 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/810 ;
53/473 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02P 70/50 20151101;
Y02E 10/50 20130101; H01L 21/67373 20130101; Y02P 70/521 20151101;
H01L 21/67386 20130101; H01L 31/1876 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/810 ;
53/473 |
International
Class: |
B65D 51/04 20060101
B65D051/04; B65B 1/04 20060101 B65B001/04 |
Claims
1. A transport container for a stack of substrates, the container
having a base and a top cover, the base having a stack receiving
region defined by a plurality of movable vertical wall portions,
the movable wall portions having two sides and a pair of vertically
extending living hinges attached to the two sides allowing the
movable wall portions to be moved horizontally toward and away from
the stack receiving region, each movable wall having a top cover
engaging surface positioned opposite from the stack receiving
region; the top cover having a plurality of cam portion arranged to
engage each of the movable wall portions as the top cover is
lowered into engagement with the base whereby the movable wall
portion are urged inwardly toward the substrate receiving
region.
2-4. (canceled)
5. The transport container of claim 1 wherein the floor, the
stationary wall portions, the movable wall portions, and the hinges
are all integral with one another.
6. A method of axially aligning substrates in a container, the
method comprising the steps of: placing a stack of not fully
aligned substrates in a receiving region of a base of a transport
container, the receiving region defined by a plurality of movable
wall portions with a top edge and a bottom edge, each wall portion
having a pair of sides with a living hinge on each side, the bottom
edge separated from a floor of the base by a gap; engaging the
movable wall portions with cam portions attached to the top cover
such that the movable wall portions are urged inwardly by flexing
the living hinges and; seating the top cover onto the base.
7. A substrate container comprising: a base portion with a floor
with a movable sidewall portion positioned above the floor with a
gap there between, the movable sidewall portion flexibly attached
to a stationary wall portion, by a pair of living hinges, the
movable wall portion having a top edge and a bottom edge whereby
both are movable horizontally as the movable wall portion
moves.
8. The substrate container of claim 7 further comprising a top
cover that is engageable with the base portion, the top cover
having members that engage a surface on the movable wall to move
the wall portion horizontally.
9.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/309,747, filed Mar. 2, 2010 and which is
incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a container for packaging
items such as semiconductor wafers and solar cells. More
particularly, the present invention relates to such a container
with movable sidewalls for axially aligning substrates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Substrates such as semiconductor wafers and solar cells are
often transported in transport containers that maintain substrates
in axially aligned stacks of substrates. Such containers must
securely contain the substrates in proper position to avoid damage
during shipping and handling. The containers must also be
adequately cushioned to absorb impacts and must securely contain
the substrates to avoid relative movement of the substrates. When
used herein "substrates" include semiconductor wafers and solar
cells, including the silicon wafers to be made into operational
solar cells.
[0004] Substrates must be properly aligned in their axial stacks in
order to properly interface with support and cushioning mechanisms
and to prevent damage to the substrates. This can be difficult due
to the conventional manner in which containers are filled with
substrates. In order for substrates to be inserted, the container
must have an inside dimension that is greater than the outside
dimension of the substrates. Therefore, as substrates are loaded
into stacks, there is room for some variance between substrates in
a stack and the substrates may be misaligned in the stack and
vulnerable to damage.
[0005] Having a cover surface that slidingly engages the misaligned
edges of a stack in order to align them can damage the edges of the
substrates; this is particularly true for solar cell wafers which
are extremely thin and fragile.
[0006] One approach to aligning substrates is manually align the
substrates in the stack and to include a plurality of foam cushions
to hold the substrates in the aligned axial arrangement within the
container by applying forces that tend to resist lateral movement.
However, it is possible for more fragile substrates, particularly
solar cells, to be damaged by the application of such forces during
shipping. It would therefore be desirable for a transport carrier
to provide axial alignment of substrates while reducing the
possibility of damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A transport container for semiconductor substrates and solar
cell substrates includes a cover and a base having a plurality of
side walls including movable wall portions with vertical pivot
axis. Movable wall portions can be connected to upright support
structure with resilient movable polymer portions such as living
hinges and can have an unconnected upper edge and an unconnected
lower edge portions to allow the movable wall portions to move
inwardly relative to base portion. The cover can include a base
engagement portion configured as a cam portion that engages a cover
engagement portion on the movable wall portions as the cover is
inserted onto the base. As the cam portions of the cover engage the
cover engagement portions, the cam portions move the wall inwardly
relative to the base to align the substrates. The inward movement
includes the upper portion, the intermediate portion, and the lower
edge. In particular embodiments, each of the two sides can move
simultaneously. The action movable wall can be upper portion in
first and then the lower portion or the action can be that the
upper and lower portions move in harmony, that is simultaneously.
Control of the action depends on the hinge configuration and the
cam portion-movable wall portion configuration. In some
embodiments, the cam portion can then drop into a clearance
position where it is no longer forcing the movable wall inwardly.
This allows the movable wall to move back near its original
position via the living hinges to remove the lateral force on the
substrates and allow the stack to be seated in the substrate
carrier without lateral engagement of the sides of the stack. In
other embodiments, the lower portion of the movable wall may be
retained inwardly.
[0008] A feature and advantage of embodiments of the present
invention is movable walls that allow alignment of axially stacked
substrates within a transport container with only direct lateral
engagement of the substrates, including solar cells. As the cover
is engaged with the base, the cover engages the movable walls of
the base causing them to move inwardly. This inward movement of the
walls brings the stack of substrates into axial alignment with
minimal chance of damage to the substrates.
[0009] A further feature and advantage of embodiments of the
present invention is that the movable walls can release lateral
pressure on the substrates after they have been axially aligned.
After the movable walls have been moved inwardly by the cover, the
engagement portion of the cover can enter a clearance portion of
the base such that it no longer is applying inward pressure on the
movable walls. The movable walls then release the lateral pressure
on the substrates by returning to near their original position via
the living hinge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 a is perspective view of a base for a substrate
transport container according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0011] Figure lb is perspective view of a top cover for a substrate
transport container according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a substrate transport
container according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of a substrate
transport container according to an embodiment of the present
invention with the cover separated from the base.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view of a substrate
transport container according to an embodiment of the present
invention with the cover engaging the base.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of a substrate
transport container according to an embodiment of the present
invention with the cam portion of the cover engaging the mid
portion of the movable wall.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a partial cross sectional view of a substrate
transport container according to an embodiment of the present
invention with the cam portion of the cover engaging the lower
portion of the movable wall.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pair of substrate
transport containers according to an embodiment of the present
invention in a stacked configuration.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a detailed perspective view of a movable wall
portion with two living hinges on opposite sides of the walls.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a detailed perspective view of a movable wall
portion with resilient hinges on only one side of the wall portion
providing a horizontal moving wall.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
movable wall portion providing a horizontal moving wall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a substrate transport container
100 for transporting substrates such as semiconductor substrates
and solar cell substrates generally comprises a base 102 and top
cover 103 to an embodiment of the present invention. Base 102 has
support structure configured as four quadrants 104. Each quadrant
104 can include various types of substrate supports. Base 102 has a
plurality of upwardly extending side walls 106, discussed further
herein.
[0022] The base 102 can include one or more apertures 108 extending
therethrough. Apertures 108 can have various geometric
configurations. This allows base 102 to interface with automation
equipment of various configurations. In one embodiment, a piston
can enter through one or more of the apertures 108 and contact
stack of substrates therein. The piston can then be used to
incrementally raise the stack so that the substrates can be
sequentially removed from the stack.
[0023] In one embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 8, base 102
includes side walls 106, stationary walls 108, and eight movable
side wall portions 110 positioned two on each side of base 102.
Side walls 104 can each comprise a movable wall portion 110 that is
connected to pair of stationary walls 112 with living hinges 114.
At a bottom 116 of movable wall portions 110, base 102 is not
connected to the movable wall portion except through the hinges.
There may be a gap 118 between movable wall portions 110 and the
floor 119 of the base. The movable wall portions 110 to be moved
laterally relative to floor 119 of the base 102. The movable wall
portions 110 define a stack receiving region 119. Each side wall
106 includes a cover guide portion 120 on each end of movable wall
with a cover engagement portion 122 therebetween. In other
embodiments the stationary walls may define a substrate stack
receiving region with the movable wall portions displaced outwardly
therefrom. Then upon lowering of the top cover, in such a
configuration the movable wall portions can be urged to extend
inwardly past the inner perimeter defined by the stationary wall
portions to provide the alignment function and or a retaining
function.
[0024] FIGS. 3-6 depict the interaction of base 102 and cover 103.
Substrates such as solar cells 123 are illustrated schematically.
The movable wall portion 110 has an outer retracted position R1
indicated where the wall portion is in FIG. 3 and an extended
position E1 illustrated with the dotted lines. Cover 103 includes a
base engagement portion configured as a sliding cam portion 124
that includes a cam surface configured as wedge surface 126 and a
vertical flat surface 128. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, as the cover
103 is lowered onto base 102, the sliding cam portion 124, guided
by cover guide portions 120, comes into engagement with cover
engagement portion 122, a cam follower surface configured as ribs.
Wedge surface 126 engages movable wall portion 110 as a cam
follower surface configured as ribs 125, causing movable wall to
begin to move inwardly. Because neither the upper edge 129 or the
lower edge 131 of movable wall portion 110 is not connected to base
102, movable wall portion 110 moves inwardly relative to floor 119
of base 102, which remains stationary. This relative inward
movement of movable wall portion 110 causes the movable wall
portion to engage the stack 127 of solar cells or other substrates
in the container to urge all substrates into proper alignment.
[0025] Wedge surface 126 slides along movable wall portion 110
until flat surface 128 engages cover engagement portion 122 as
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Movable wall portion 110 continues to move
inwardly relative to base to align the substrates as the flat
surface 128 contacts cover engagement portion 122 as base 102
remains stationary. As base engagement portion 124 of cover 103
continues downward, it can enter a clearance section 134 of base
102 as illustrated in FIG. 6. Cover engagement portion 122 of
movable wall portion 110 can taper inwardly at 132 adjacent
clearance portion 134 below the ribs 122, so that the cover 103 is
no longer forcing the movable wall portion 110 inwardly into the
stack of substrates. The movable wall portion 110 can then flex
back to a position at or near its original position, of FIG. 5,
before it was engaged by the cover 103. By this process, the
substrates within the stack have been aligned, but there is no
longer a circumferential force pressing against the substrates,
eliminating the possibility of damage to substrates from this
force. In another embodiment, the movable wall portion 110 can
remain engaged with substrate stack throughout shipping in order to
provide increased resistance against lateral movement of
substrates.
[0026] FIGS. 8 and 9 depict movable wall portions 110 according to
various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 8 depicts a
movable wall portion 110 connected to base 102 with a pair of
standard living hinges 114 as illustrated in the figures previously
discussed. Notably, the living hinges provide primarily as
plurality of vertical axis of rotations a1, a2 while also allowing
some minimal rotation about a horizontal axis a3. The living hinges
constrain movement of the movable wall portion to primarily
inwardly and outwardly. FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of a
movable wall portion 110.1 having a pair of resilient hinge
portions 140 and cover engagement portions 122. These resilient
hinges 140 are configured as spring arms or fingers and provide a
vertical axis of rotation a4. The two fingers limit the amount the
wall portion can rotate about a horizontal axis. This movable wall
portion can be moved as described in the previous embodiment by
engagement of cam follower structure with the cam portion extending
from the top cover. The wall portion moves in an arc defined by the
length of the spring arm and increasing the length of the spring
arm will flatten the arc. In the above embodiments the movement of
the wall portion is constrained by the configuration of the
hinges/spring arms. In another embodiments, see FIG. 10, the
movable wall portion can be slidingly engaged with the base
portion, such as a T-member 156 in a slot 158 or other structure on
the base portion controlling the movement. Spring members can be
connected to the movable wall portion to return the wall portion to
an original position.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 7, transport containers 100 can be
configured to be stackable upon each other. Containers 100 can
include a perimeter having a plurality of notches 140 that allows
for stacking by accommodating a portion of the perimeter 142 of an
adjacent container. Containers 100 can be stackable at an angle to
each other, as shown in FIG. 7, or can be stackable aligned with
one another. Stacking containers 100 at an angle to each other
provides the advantage of being able to view colored information
plug 144 associated with a container without having to displace the
container above.
[0028] Although the figures illustrate a container for square
substrates, the invention is also equally applicable to transport
containers for circular substrates; such containers are known as
coin stack wafer containers.
[0029] The base and top cover may be conventionally injection
molded. The hinges can be formed by thinner material or may be a
different polymer adhered to the stationary wall and movable wall
by coinjection techniques. Other materials may also be suitable
such as pulp.
[0030] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from the spirit of any of the essential
attributes thereof. Therefore, the illustrated embodiments should
be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive,
reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the
foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.
* * * * *